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Before reading the signs of a dysfunctional family, you would agree with us that family is an essential part of one’s life. It helps an individual to grow up and become a responsible person in society. Although each family has its own conflicts, course of actions, rules, and functions.
A healthy family supports each other in every conflict and emotional phase. On the other hand, an unhealthy family term as a dysfunctional family avoids and blame each other on their failures.
Children of the dysfunctional family play different roles in a family and pretend to be normal and never try to change their family environment. Because they don’t know what are the signs of a dysfunctional family and how to deal with these disputes.
In this article, we will discuss the basic signs of a dysfunctional family, find out the features, reasons, and causes why a dysfunctional family arises.
And in the last section, we will wrap-up this topic with suggestions.
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8 Destructive Signs of a Dysfunctional Family
Children of the dysfunctional family mostly don’t realize that they belong to a distressed family. So, they think these unusual circumstances are natural and happen in every family but when they grow up, they get to know something is different and bothering but till then it’s too late sometimes.
So, it’s better to recognize the signs of a dysfunctional family to overcome its negative side and help yourself as well as other family members.
Here are Some Insalubrious and destructive Signs of a Dysfunctional Family:
1. Feeling Alone and Frustrated:
When a child is raised in a dysfunctional family, he/she become an isolated person. If you face isolation in your growing age and more comfortable when you’re alone it’s a clear and intense sign of a dysfunctional family. Although you can be introvert, an extreme level of isolation is surely one of the signs of a dysfunctional family.
2. Avoid Vacations:
The sign of the dysfunctional family is that they don’t spend time together, even if they can afford to. The behavior of avoidances towards family can make a person irresponsible and irritated. A person who is tending to avoid vocations with family members surely belongs to the dysfunctional family.
If you can afford a vacation with your family in terms of time and money, and still chooses to remain at home to avoid being with them, then it is one of the most dangerous signs of a dysfunctional family.
3. Abusive Language and Behavior:
An abusive and harsh language by your parents or a spouse is also a sign of a dysfunctional family. This ashamed, disrespected, and disowning behavior is practiced by your family or in a particular family member, then you need to pay attention to your family directions.
Dysfunctional families tend to vent their anger & frustrations through their language, this is one of the major signs of a dysfunctional family.
4. You are Ashamed to Bring Your Friends:
Once I noticed that my very close friend is always ready to go outside, she visits my house twice in a week but never invites me to her home. She always throws her birthday party in a restaurant, avoids to talk about her family. After school, we got to know she belongs to a dysfunctional family.
Since one is not comfortable with the family himself, he tries not to introduce or invite his friends with his family. This is one of the signs of a dysfunctional family as well.
5. Experience Threats and Punishments:
You often think about leaving your home as well as the city, in which you grow up? Did you try to escape from your home and from your family? Because you are not feeling secure and safe, therefore a child or a person wants to go away from that place.
While threats & rewards were a common practice a hundred or even fifty years ago, they are now not accepted as a civilized form of conduct. Therefore, giving threats & punishments all the time is one of the many signs of a dysfunctional family.
6. Rigidity & Inflexibility:
Children of a dysfunctional family are observed as rigid because they have many insecurities. They adopt inflexible behavior and rigid mindset due to the lack of a trustworthy family member.
7. Lack of Communication:
You are standing in a classroom or in any family gathering where a specific topic is being discussed and you have many things to say but fails to put your thoughts into words. If yes, then this is probably a sign of a dysfunctional family.
8. You wish You had a Second Chance:
If you get a chance to recreate your life, would you prefer the same as you are living? If the answer is NO, then it’s a conventional sign of a dysfunctional family.
Features of a Dysfunctional Family
Not every dysfunctional family have the same features but are interrelated to each other.
- Alcoholism/ Drug Addiction
- Physical Disability
- Mental Stress
- Lack of unity and understanding
- Financial pressure
- Violence
- Over possessiveness
- Dominance
Cause & Effects of a Dysfunctional Family
Problems are created by causes. Causes have their own effects on a persons’ life. Same as a dysfunctional family is a problematic aspect of an individual life. To cope up with this we should first generalize the cause and effects in our lives.
First and core, the cause of a dysfunctional family is the worst psychological conditions. People who are extra emotional or sympathetic are used to shallow their selves. And consider that they are facing a certain problem due to someone else.
Secondly, they establish a love-hate relationship with other family members and mostly do not talk about their problem. Instead of talking they argue and prefer to shout on each other.
Thirdly, Separation of parents, use of alcohol, favoritism between children and lack of trust all are the foremost causes to leads into a dysfunctional family.
Last but not least, Uncertainly of expressions and course of actions are also described in this category.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Question On Signs of a Dysfunctional Family
What Is Dysfunctional Parenting?
Dysfunctional families are those families in which disagreement, misbehavior, conflict, and often teen abandonment or verbal abuse on the part of a person’s parents happen continually and regularly, leading other family members to accommodate such activities carried out. Dysfunctional parents might imitate or from their own dysfunctional mother and father.
How Do You Grow Up In A Dysfunctional Family?
In dysfunctional families, grown-ups are more likely to be so obsessed with their own troubles and pain that they do not give their kids what they want and yearn for. reliability, safety, absolute love. As a consequence, teenagers or kids feel highly stressed, eager, and unloved.
What Makes Family Unique?
Every family has qualities and characteristics that will be passed on from generation to generation. And these traits make a family unique.
What Is The Difference Between A Functional And Dysfunctional Family?
The answer is very simple that one family functions and the other does not. A dysfunctional family is described as a family in which the members of the family have an adverse or negative effect on one another’s emotional and physical well-being.
Conclusion:
Children of the dysfunctional family think that its a hell to pay if they go against their family fundamentals. Because they are oversensitive towards their family, but when they hate something but unable to change that scenario it seems like he/she is walking on a lump of burning coal.
Accept the reality of your family and Don’t blame others at your fault. Talk with someone you trust and seek help. Stop judging other behaviors and try to rebuild your relationship.
Further Reading:
